Suction pump



Jan. 19, 1943.

W. A. D UNHAM SUCTION PUMP Filed May 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Inven'i'or Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT (Granted underthe act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 4Claims.

This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to suction pumps, but more particularlyto a valvular system for liquid operated devices for creating a partialvacuum, such as are used by surgeons to effect the drainage of variousorgans of the human body, and for similar purposes.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the classdescribed by which a continuous substantially uniform vacuum may beobtained which may be controlled and maintained at a degree suitable forthe desired purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum creatingapparatus of the class described which is automatic in operation, sturdyand economical in construction, and easily operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed provided with a valvular system in which no mechanicaloperating parts are used, which might develop defects due to frictionand wear, one in which no adjustments are required, and which may beconstructed from readily obtainable and economical materials.

Referring to the figures in which like parts are indicated by similarreference characters:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the rotatable frame and an upperportion of the base of 5 the apparatus, partially sectionized toillustrate structural details;

Fig. 3 is a sectionized view showing containers and the communicatingdrain tube through which water flows by gravity from one jar to theother;

Fig. 4 is a sectionized view showing containers and the communicatingsuction tube with mercury check valve adapted to prevent intake air fromentering the lower container; and

Fig. .5 is a sectionized view showing containers and the communicatingvent tube with air vent check valve adapted to prevent escaping air fromthe lower container from entering the upper container.

Briefly stated, the invention relates to a valvular system of a gravityactuated vacuum apparatus generally termed a Waggensteen by the medicalprofession. The "Waggensteen consists primarily of two containersprovided with communicating tubular conduits. The containers are usuallyglass jars, one of which is suspended above the other in such a mannerthat the first upper jar being filled with water, will drain into thelower jar, and both of them together with their tubular connections areso arranged and. rotatably supported that their respective position ofone above the other can be reversed at will. The water being drained outof the upper jar creates a partial vacuum therein, which may be used forany suitable purpose. The positions of the two jars may be reversedimmediately before the upper jar has completely emptied'into the lower,thereby effecting an almost continuous suction.

The valvular system set forth herein is so constructed and arranged thatwhen the positions of the two jars are reversed the valves will permitthe air under pressure in the lower jar, caused by the ingress of waterfrom the upper jar, to escape into the atmosphere and thus prevent itfrom entering the upper jar, and thus avoid a decrease in the partialvacuum created therein. The valvular system is also arranged so that thesuction, of the intake pipe to the vacuum forming bottle or container,will be substantially continuous and uniform.

lhe apparatus comprises a supporting member l8 which is formed with abase I I, a standard [2 mounted on said base having forked uprighttubular members l3 and It and a shaft or axle 14 which bridges the upperextremity of said tubular members l3 and I 3'. v

Upon the axle M is rotatably mounted a rectanglar frame 15 comprisingtwo lateral tubular members I6 and it connected at either end tocircular baseplates I! and H, which are spaced suiiiciently from twoannular cross members l8 and I8 to retain therebetween the containers I9and I9, as shown in Fig. l. The bottoms of the containers, which areshown as bottles in the illustrations, are placed adjacent the baseplates I! and I1 and the necks thereof allowed to protrude through thecentral openings 29 and 20 within the annular cross members l8 and I8.

The containers or bottles are preferably of the ype used in chemical orclinical laboratories, and are provided with rubber stoppers 2| andZl'which may be punched out for the reception of glass tubes.

To the circular base members are attached lateral retaining members 22and 22' which hold the containers or bottles more rigidly within thepivotally mounted frame.

The bottles are connected by three tubes 23, 24

and 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and illustrated separately in Figs.3, 4 and 5. Referring to the latter figures which more clearlyillustrate the construction of each tubular connection it will be notedfrom Fig. 3 that the tube 23 forms a straight tubular passage betweenthe bottles [9 and [9' which terminates at the inner surfaces of thestoppers 2| and 2 I and is provided at its central portion with a valve26. This tube is adapted to drain liquid from the bottle which is in anupper position to the bottle which is in a lower position, depending onthe position into which the rectangular frame is turned.

The tube 24 illustrated in Fig. 4 is the vacuum tube through which airis drawn into the upper container as the liquid therein drains throughtube 23 into the lower container. This tube extends from a locationadjacent the bottom 21 of the upper container to a similar location inthe other bottle and is provided with a central loop 28, to the centerof which is connected a tube 29. The tube 29 is the suction intake tubeof the apparatus and may be connected to a receiver or container 39 towhich is attached a tube 3| provided with an end piece (not shown)adapted to be applied to the patient. The latter bottle or receiver 30functions as a trap for any liquid or foreign matter which might passthrough the tube 3|.

The central loop 28 is formed with 8 sections 32 and 32' on either sideof the central tubular connection 33. Sufiicient mercury 34 is retainedwithin the lower loop 32' to form a seal in order to prevent the passageof air to the lower bottle l9. When the bottles are reversed inposition, the mercury will descend to the opposite loop 32 which willthen be in a lowermost position.

The tube 25 illustrated in Fig. 5 extends from a point adjacent theinner surface of the stopper 2| of the upper bottle l9 to a similarposition with respect to the stopper 2 l of the lower bottle [9' and isformed with a central loop 35 which makes a complete turn in the tubeforming U shaped sections 36 and 36' on either side of a centrallyconnected tube 31 which leads to the stopper 38 of another container 39which receives air expelled from the lower container I9.

The lower U section 35' of the tube 25 is partially filled with mercury39 to prevent air expelled from the lower bottle H! from passing to theupper bottle and to thus direct its path through the upper loop 35 andthrough the centrally attached tube 31 to the container 39. When thejars l9 and l9 are reversed, the mercury in the loop 36' passes intoloop 36 which then is in a lower position, and the mercury which is nowin loop 36 seals the tube to prevent air being expelled from the lowerjar 19 from entering the upper jar IS.

A stop member 4! consisting of a cord or bar extending between theforked tubular members l3 and I3 functions to limit the rotative anglethrough which the frame !5 and containers i9 and I9 attached thereto maybe turned to thereby prevent the mercury in the loop 34 from passinginto tube 24 and the mercury in loop 43 from passing into the tubes 25and 25'.

The frame 15 is held in either of its upright positions so that theupper container may drain into the lower container by a clamp 42 whichis attached to the tubular member l3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the operation of the device the upper container I9 is filled withwater and-the valve 26 adjusted to allow it to drain at a desired rateof ing air passes through tube 29 fiow through the tube 23 into thelower con tainer l9.

By thus emptying the upper container a regulated negative pressure iscreated therein which effects the flow of air through the tube 3| tocontainer or trap 30. From container 30 the incomto the upper S shapedsection 32 of loop 28, passage through the lower 8 shaped section 32being prevented by the mercury seal 34. From section 32 the intake airpasses to tube 24 from which it enters the upper container l9 to replaceoutgoing water which is draining into the lower container l9.

As water from the upper container l9 drains into the lower container l9it expels the air above it through tube 25 and loop 36, passage to thelower loop 36' being prevented by the mercury seal 40. From the loop 36the expelled air passes to the centrally connected tube 31 and from tube31 to the container 33, or may be allowed to pass from tube 31 directlyinto the atmosphere.

With the partial rotation of the frame l5 so that the relative positionsof the containers is reversed, the apparatus continues to function inthe same manner as explained above,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A vacuum pump comprising a support, a frame pivotally mounted on saidsupport; diametrically opposed containers attached to either end of saidframe and adapted to be alternately disposed in upper and lowerpositions, a liquid in the uppermost container, a drainage tube providedwith a regulating valve communicating with the adjacent ends of saidcontainers, adapted to drain the upper container into the lowercontainer, a vacuum tube extending into the interior of each containerand provided with two 8 shaped traps on either side of a centrallyconnected conduit one of said traps being partially filled with a columnof mercury adapted to flow to the lower of said traps upon the reversalof the relative positions of the containers whereby a single column ofmercury serves to alternately seal said traps as the positions of thecontainers are reversed, and an air expelling tube extending to theadjacent ends of said containers and provided with two U shaped curveson either side of a centrally connected conduit adapted to form amercury seal whereby air expelled from the lower container is preventedfrom passing to the other container and is expelled through thecentrally connected conduit.

2. A vacuum pump comprising a support, a frame pivotally mounted on saidsupport and a stop member attached to said support, adapted to limit thepivotal movement of said frame; diametrically opposed containersattached to either end of said frame and adapted to be alternatelydisposed in upper and lower positions, a liquid in the uppermostcontainer, a drainage tube provided with a regulating valvecommunicating with the adjacent ends of said containers, adapted todrain the upper container into the lower container, a vacuum tubeextending into the interior of each container and provided with two 8shaped traps on either side of a centrally connected conduit one of saidtraps being filled with a column of mercury adapted to flow to the lowerof said traps upon the reversal of the relative positions of thecontainers whereby a single column of mercury serves to alternately sealsaid traps as the positions of the containers are reversed, and an airexpelling tube extending to the adjacent ends of said containers andprovided with two U shaped curves on either side of a centrallyconnected conduit adapted to form a mercury seal whereby air expelledfrom the lower container is prevented from passing to the othercontainer and is expelled through the centrally connected conduit.

3. A vacuum pump comprising a support, a frame pivotally mounted uponsaid support, opposed containers mounted upon the frame, and havingupper and lower positions, said frame being rotatable to effect reversalof the positions of said containers, a liquid in the uppermostcontainer, a drainage tube communicating with the adjacent ends of saidcontainers and adapted to drain the contents of the uppermost into thelowermost container; an intake tube extending into the interior of eachcontainer, a pair of complemental S traps each including parallel legportions and an intermediate curve portion, one

of the legs of each trap communicating with a common suction conduit,the remaining legs of the traps being in communication with the intaketubes of the respective containers, a column of mercury in one of saidtraps movable under the action of gravity from one trap to thecomplemental trap when the positions of the containers are reversedwhereby to alternately function as a seal for the respective traps, andpermit intake air to the uppermost container only; air expelling tubesextending from the adjacent ends of the containers and connected with aloop comprising oppositely disposed U shaped tubes forming trapsconnected centrally with an exhaust conduit, 2. column of mercury withinsaid tubes movable under the action of gravity from one U tube to theother to alternately function as a seal for the respective traps, andpermit air to be expelled from only the lower container.

4. A vacuum pump comprising a support, a frame pivotally mounted uponsaid support, opposed containers mounted upon the frame, and havingupper and lower positions, said frame being rotatable to effect reversalof the positions of said containers, a liquid in the uppermostcontainer, a valve-controlled drainage tube communicating with theadjacent ends of said containers adapted to drain the contents of theuppermost into the lowermost container; an intake tube extending intothe interior of each container, a pair of complemental S traps eachincluding parallel leg portions and an intermediate curve portion, oneof the legs of each trap being in communication with each other and withthe end of a suction conduit, the remaining legs of the traps being incommunication with the intake tubes of the respective containers, acolumn of mercury in one of said traps movable under the action ofgravity from one trap to the other when the positions of the containersare reversed whereby to alternately function as a seal for therespective traps, and permit intake air to the uppermost container only;air expelling tubes extending from the adjacent ends of the containersand connected with a loop comprising oppositely disposed U shaped tubesforming traps connected centrally with an exhaust conduit, a column ofmercury within said tubes movable under the action of gravity from one Utube to the other to alternately function as a seal for the respectivetraps, and permit air to be expelled from only the lower container.

WALTER A. DUNHAM.

